National Academic Reference Standards for honors degree

National Academic Reference Standards for honors degree
(Mathematics)
Contents
1- Introduction.
2- Subject knowledge and understanding.
3- Essential skills.
4- Academic standards of Bachelors degree attainment.
5- Performance Criteria
1-Introduction
These academic standards references characterize the skills and achievements that graduates of
Mathematics-based degrees should have:
1- Single honors degree,
2- Dual honors degrees, where Mathematics forms a significant proportion.
These references relate to the Mathematics components of all such degrees.
Mathematics is a major intellectual discipline in its own right, with a pedigree which extends back
through various cultures including the Ancient Greeks to even earlier civilizations. It has its roots
in the systematic development of methods to solve practical problems in areas such as surveying,
mechanical construction and commerce. The subject evolved with the realization that such
methods, when stripped of the details of the particular situations, had a wide range of application
and highlighted the essential common characteristics of many different problems. Thus
generalization and abstraction became important features of the subject. This led to logical
verification propositions concerning abstract entities. Thus mathematics as a subject developed
with watertight arguments and it became a science involving strict logical deduction with
conclusions that follow with certainty and confidence from clear starting points. Consequently
mathematics has made a pre-eminent contribution to the development of human thought.
Mathematics programs today should bring a rich diversity of experiences. Providing a supportive
environment, and in improving curricular and instructional strategies. This diversity challenges
educators to define clear goals and standards, develop effective instructional strategies, and present
mathematics in appropriate contexts.
2- Subject knowledge and understanding.
Undergraduate B.Sc (Honors) degree programs in mathematics address:
1- The more general and fundamental topics of Math.
2- Provide a selection of more advanced topics.
3- Develop investigative, mathematical, computational, modeling and other transferable
skills.
4- Students should also study the application of the fundamental principles to particular
areas.
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